What's eating my carnival squash?

Carnival squash (Cucurbita pepo 'Carnival', an acorn-type cross) is vulnerable to squash vine borers, cucumber beetles, and squash bugs. As a C. pepo type it is more susceptible to vine borers than C. maxima varieties. Aphids and whiteflies may also colonize leaves in warmer regions or under season-extension tunnels.

Rapid wilting of healthy-looking vines; sawdust frass at stem base entry points; internal stem tunneling Time planting to avoid peak moth flight (late June–July in most of US); row covers until flowering; wrap stems; apply Bt to base of stems preventively

Chewed flowers and foliage; bacterial wilt vectored to vines; adults overwinter and attack early-season transplants Yellow sticky traps; kaolin clay; row covers; remove and destroy wilt-infected plants immediately

Wilting and browning of leaves from toxin injection; egg masses in organized rows on leaf undersides Hand-pick daily; neem oil on nymphs; remove all crop debris at season end to reduce overwintering habitat